Sliding-door latch.



Patented July I, I902.

No. 703.390. 7 G. G. DEFFENBAUGH.

SLIDING DOOR LATCH.

(Applies-titan filed July 31" 1901.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GRANT G. DEFFENBAUGH, OF MADISONBURG, OHIO.

SLIDING-DOOR LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 703,390, dated July 1, 51902.

Application filed July 31, 1901.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, GRANT G. DEFFEN- BAUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madisonburg, in the county of Wayne and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latches for Sliding Doors, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to latches, and especially such as are applied to sliding doors employed on railroad-cars, barns, granaries, or similar structures.

The object of this invention is to produce an improved device of this character which will be simple in construction and efficientin operation.

With this end in view the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents 'an exterior view of an ordinary sliding door equipped with my latch. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the keeper. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the front edge of the same. gig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the latch- Similar characters of reference indicatelike parts throughout all the figures of the draw means of a spindle3,lwhich passes through an opening 4 therein and through an iron ferrule 5, having an annular flange 6, by means of which the ferrule is secured to the door by screws 7, passing through the same and into the door A. p

To prevent the spindle 3 from turning in the opening of the latch-bar. an'opening or recess 8 is formed therein and an ear or flange 9 is formed on that part of the spindle 3 which passes through the opening 4 and fits into and interlocks with the recess 8.

To the ends of the spindle 3 there are secured vertical loop-handles 10, by means of fierial No. 70,322. (No model.)

which the door may he slid open orshut and the latch-bar manipulated. 11 designates a guard-bracket which is secured to the door near the front or catch end of the latch and serves to limit the movements of the latter. It will be seen that the latch-bar is formed with a double rounded head, forming laterally-projecting hooks ct and b for engagement with the keeper 1 to be hereinafter described.

Referring now to the keeper 1, it will be seen that it is provided with two openings 12 in its strike-plate, (so as to adapt it to either right or left hand doors,) which are provided with recesses 13,extending toward each other, and which are adapted to receive the stem or shank of the latch-bar and form a seat for the same. I

14: designates chutes formed in the rear wall of the keeper and designed to act as deflectors for the latch-bar and force the same down into the recess 13 should the same not be free to fall therein by itsown weight.

It will be seen that the keeper, by reason of its construction, is adapted to either right or left handed doors.

15 designates a flange extending around the keeper and designed to be set into the wall and secured by means of screws, so that it will fit down flush with the surface of the wall, as shown in Fig.2 of the drawings.

Upon referring..to Figs.'2.and 4E it .will be seen that the sides of the openings 12 are beveled, as at c and d, so as to form guides or chutes for the latch when the door is closed should the point of thelatch not be in line with the center of the openings 12.

The innerloop-handle 10 should be pivoted to the spindle 3, so that it will turn over against the side of the latch-bar 2, as shown in Fig. 2, and thus not interfere with the door passing-back along the side of the wall when it is desired to push the door entirely open. The handle" 10 on the outside of thedoor may be either pivoted to the spindle or securely fastened to it or cast integral therewith, as desired. i

It will be seen thatv thedescribed latch is simple and durable in construction and compact in form and readily accomplishes the purposes for which it is intended.

While I have shown a keeper adapted to either right or left handed doors, it is obvious ICO that it may be made in both right and left handed styles, in which case it would occupy but one-half the space that it occupies in its double style.

It is obvious that means may be provided for locking the latch-bar in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, such as a cam device of any suitable construction secured in the guardbracket above the latch-barv to prevent the unauthorized manipulation of the same.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principles or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I.c1aim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a latch for sliding doors, the combination with a pivotally-mounted latch-bar provided with an enlarged head forming laterally-projecting hooks; of a keeper provided with an opening in its strike-plate for the reception of the laterally-extending hooks of a latch-bar, a recess extending from said opening to form a seat for the stem of the latch-bar, and a rearwardly and downwardly extending chute, opposite and to the rear of said opening and recess, whereby the head of said latch-bar is forced downwardly into the said recess and said laterally-extendin g hooks are brought into engagement with said strikeplate.

2. A keeper for sliding doors, the same concesses whereby the head of said latch-bar is brought into contact therewith and is forced downwardly into engagement with said strikenlate.

3. In a latch for sliding doors, the combination with a pivotally-mounted latch-bar provided with an enlarged head forming laterally-proj ectin g hooks; of a keeper provided with a strike-plate formed with the oppo sitely-disposed openings for the reception of the latch-bar, recesses extending from said openings toward'its center to form a seat for the stem of the latch-bar, and oppositely-disposed rearwardly-extending chutes formed in the rear wall opposite the said openings and recesses whereby the head of said latch-bar is brought into contact therewith, and is forced downwardly into engagement with said strikeplate.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of witnesses.

GRANT G. DEFFENBAUGH.

Witnesses:

Ross WfFUNcK, ELLA LANDERS, G. W. SPANGLER. 

